Japan is so traditional. The princess looks older than she really is. Has anyone seen pics of her before becoming a princess, she looked stunning. Usually women who marry into royalty look beautiful right after their marriage. They have a wardrobe consultant, a hair person, a makeup artist, etc...they look their best. The princess, however, has to dress so traditionally that it must be hard for her being so young. She is beautiful anyhow and she seems sweet. I don't know if you can tell only by pictures, but she seems like a nice lady...

I am very heartened to see that she is taking on more public engagements. Although I certainly don't want to see her take on too much, too soon, I will look forward to the day she gets to visit other young Crown Princely couples around Europe. With her education in the West, I think she might find alot in common with some of those couples. In addition, one of the things CP Naruhito said in that "infamous" interview 18 months ago is that she wasn't allowed to travel as much as she had hoped, and I would think such travels to Europe, let alone other places, would be so good for her. Something I don't really understand is the role of the Imperial Household Agency. Does anyone on the forum know how they function? In some ways they seem extraordinarily controlling of the Imperial Family, moreso than in other monarchies -- can anyone comment?

From Kyodo news
Crown Princess Masako marked her 42nd birthday Friday by continuing to show signs that she is recovering from a stress-induced illness, although she has yet to reach the point where she can resume official duties on a regular basis, according to the Imperial Household Agency.

Princess Masako turns 42, still unable to fully resume duties
Friday, December 9, 2005 at 07:29 JST
TOKYO — Crown Princess Masako marked her 42nd birthday Friday by continuing to show signs that she is recovering from a stress-induced illness, although she has yet to reach the point where she can resume official duties on a regular basis, according to the Imperial Household Agency.
The crown princess had been distressed at not being able to spend more time with her daughter Princess Aiko, said Hideki Hayashida, the grand master of Crown Prince Naruhito's Household, quoting a doctors' statement which said that balancing child-rearing with official duties is an issue to be dealt with. "I will try to recuperate physically and mentally so that I can gradually resume my official duties," the crown princess said in a statement issued before her birthday.http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content...at=1&id=357858

#Reuters: Japanese Crown Princess Masako waves to wellwishers from a car window on her way to the imperial palace to greet Emperor Akihito and Empress Masako marking her birthday in Tokyo Friday, Dec. 9, 2005. The princess celebrates 42nd birthday, as she continues to show signs of recovery from a stress-induced health problems.

Lovely pictures from the Imperial Household Agency of Naruhito, Masako & Aiko! They are such a wonderful little family! I hope the Crown Princess will continue to recover from her illness, I wish all the best to her. Happy Birthday, Masako!

Crown Princess Masako, marking her 42nd birthday today, said she is recovering from the stress-related disorder that has kept her from public view for most of the past two years.
"Thankfully, I am gradually getting better and have been able to attend little by little public events," she said in a written statement to mark the occasion. Masako has rarely been seen in public since the office of the Crown Prince's Household of the Imperial Household Agency announced in December 2003 that she would take a rest from official duties. The office said in July 2004 that she was suffering from an adjustment disorder.......http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-...512090209.html

This is good news indeed! The family looks wonderful and I hope CP Masako continues to recover. She is blessed with a very supportive husband. I've been most impressed with his unwavering loyalty to his wife. And, while this has been excruciatingly difficult for CP Masako, perhaps she has given a higher profile to the issues of stress and depression--and thus will help others by destigmatizing these problems.

__________________Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known - Winnie the Pooh

I cant wait until she comes back on the scene. She is so smart and I hate how the imperial traditions and household hold her back. I wish they would become much more liberal and modern. She could be one of the greatest ambassadors for Japan. If they would modernize she could become one of the greatest Empress Consorts in japanese history. I wonder if she regrets getting married to the imperial prince. I hope they dont divorce. She gave up so much for love I wish the monarchy would give up a little for her.

Nicely put. I couldn't agree more. I wonder if her husband will make major changes once he becomes emperor. Although in some royal households, I wonder who "rules" who; the courtiers or the royals???

Quote:

Originally Posted by Princejonnhy25

I cant wait until she comes back on the scene. She is so smart and I hate how the imperial traditions and household hold her back. I wish they would become much more liberal and modern. She could be one of the greatest ambassadors for Japan. If they would modernize she could become one of the greatest Empress Consorts in japanese history. I wonder if she regrets getting married to the imperial prince. I hope they dont divorce. She gave up so much for love I wish the monarchy would give up a little for her.

__________________Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known - Winnie the Pooh

I cant wait until she comes back on the scene. She is so smart and I hate how the imperial traditions and household hold her back. I wish they would become much more liberal and modern. She could be one of the greatest ambassadors for Japan. If they would modernize she could become one of the greatest Empress Consorts in japanese history. I wonder if she regrets getting married to the imperial prince. I hope they dont divorce. She gave up so much for love I wish the monarchy would give up a little for her.

Crown Princess Masako waves as she enters the Imperial Palace in central Tokyo on Jan. 1 to attend the New Year's greeting ceremony there. At left is her daughter Princess Aiko. Crown Princess Masako, who is recuperating from a stress-induced illness, attended the ceremony for the first time in three years.

Princess's plight: Masako's doctors emphasize that a change in her public duties is needed.

This is the second in a series on issues and topics facing Japan's imperial family.
Bending her knees, Crown Princess Masako lowered herself to eye-level with the underprivileged children and smiled.
One by one, she looked them in the eye and spoke softly. Some of the children displayed a bit of nervousness, unused to such undivided attention from an adult, let alone a real live princess.
This event in November, a festival put on by children living in orphanages in the Tokyo metropolitan area, was Masako's first solo public appearance for an official duty outside her residence in two years.
Soon, the children looked as cheerful as the crown princess.
"Compared to the way she looked at the same event three years ago, she looked more relaxed and confident," said Hiroshi Ohashi, president of the Japan Welfare and Cultural Association, which organized the festival. "My impression was that Princess Aiko's healthy growth has helped her recover."
Masako also appeared in high spirits in mid-October when she and Crown Prince Naruhito welcomed Daniel Pauly, director of the Fisheries Center of the University of British Columbia, at their residence in the Akasaka Estate.
They discussed a variety of topics concerning child-rearing, said Pauly, who was in Japan to receive the International Cosmos Prize for his work on marine resources management.
These accounts offer a rare glimpse into how Masako has been faring in recent months.
Public interest in her health condition has drastically increased since December 2003, when the Imperial Household Agency said Masako would stop making public appearances because of stress and fatigue.
The agency later announced the princess was suffering from an adjustment disorder.
Speculation was rife that the princess was under too much pressure to have a baby boy. Others blamed the schedule and nature of her official duties. And Naruhito publicly cited in 2004 "developments that denied her career ... as well as her personality driven by her career."
Marking her 42nd birthday on Dec. 9, Masako emphasized in a written statement that her health has gradually improved, enabling her to start making public appearances. She also expressed gratitude to other members of the imperial family for their constant support. After her public appearances last year, the prevailing view was that Masako was indeed recovering, although the Imperial Household Agency had provided very little official information on her condition. Doctors' surprise message............................http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-...601030094.html

http://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty...paneseroyals/3
JANUARY 2006
In an indication that she is recovering from the stress-related disorder that has kept her from her duties since 2003, Crown Princess Masako of Japan took part in the Imperial family's annual New Year's ceremony for the first time in three years on Sunday.

Cover Story/ Royal allure:Japanese love brand-name products, and nothing has a greater cachet than the imperial family.

This is the fifth part of a series on issues and topics facing the imperial family.
Mao Komuro was searching an Internet bookshop looking for some bedtime reading for her 18-month-old daughter when a blurb stopped her in her tracks. "Crown Princess Masako's favorite," trumpeted the entry for "Goodnight Moon," by U.S. children's writer Margaret Wise Brown.
Although Komuro was unfamiliar with the title, the Masako connection was almost spellbinding--she had to have the book.
Komuro, a 33-year-old Tokyo homemaker, said: "I was under the impression that since our daughter enjoyed Aiko's favorites, she would enjoy Masako's favorite, too."
She said that over the past year she's developed an appreciation for products favored by Masako's daughter, Princess Aiko. Before that, she had no particular feelings for the imperial family one way or another, she said.
When she saw Brown's book, she thought of how much her baby enjoyed the same picture book that TV news-variety shows said Crown Princess Masako had read many times to Aiko.
Then, there were the cute animal slippers Komuro picked up in a children's clothing shop, whose tag bragged "Aiko's favorite."
Komuro next signed her little girl up for a calisthenics class. These classes became de rigueur for many moms after the toddler princess was seen dancing in video footage aired by news-variety shows. Brown's book turned out to be a disappointment when it arrived. Calling the purchase "a bad choice," Komuro said the illustrations were "somewhat drab" and the story was too difficult for a toddler...............http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-...601060133.html

Last Dec. 23 was Emperor Akihito's 72nd birthday, and Japan's Constitutional monarch was occupied with a flurry of activities at the Imperial Palace, such as a traditional birthday ceremony known as the "Tenchosai." From 5:00 pm, the Emperor greeted some 30 illustrious guests at a tea party, including author Hiroyuki Agawa and former ambassador to the U.S. Nobuo Matsunaga.